Metal collapsible box



July. I, 1930. c. FLAGSTAD METAL GOLLAPSIBLE BOX Filed March 27, 1928- 4 sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR .CORNELLF STAD A ORNEY July 1, 1930, c. FLAGSTAD METAL COLLAPSIBLE BOX Filed March 2'7, 1928 4 Sheets- Sheet 2 INVENTOR CORNELLF GSTAD ATTORNEY July 1, 1930. c. FLAGSTAD METAL COLLAPSIBLB BOX Filed March 27, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 July 1, 1930.

c. FLAGSTAD METAL COLLAPSIBLE BOX File March 27, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR J CORNELL F GSTAD a ATTORNEY Patented July 1, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CORNELL FLAGSTAD, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR O15 NINETY-FIVE PER CENT T FOLDING CRATE AND BOX COMPANY, 01'! MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, A I

CORPORATION OF MINNESOTA METAL comments sex Application filed March 27, 1928. Serial No. 285,191.

This invention relates to folding or collapsible carriers, and the primary ob ect is to provide a collapsible metal box which is rigid and durable when set up and in use, and which is neat and compact when folded up and'out of use. A further object is to provide novel, efficient, and practical means for so constructing the box and connecting its various sections that an inexperience erson may quickly learn to set it up and knock it down, and without the use of tools, latches, springs, hooks, etc. A more specific object is to provide a foldable metal box that is particularly adaptable for use by grocers, meat dealers and others who deliver packages of goods to homes, and who generally carry large numbers of delivery orders in trucks or wagons, in which case it is desirable to have boxes that are durable, that will stack properly in the vehicle, and which may be folded up, when empty, so that as the boxes are emptied and folded, they may be conveniently put out of the way. Further objects will be disclosed in the course of the following specification, reference be ng had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a metal box embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevatlon of the box as shown in Fig. 1, taken longltudinally thereof, and showing one of the end sections in a partly swung up posltion.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the box as shown in Fig. 1, but with both end sect ons swung up to horizontal positions as requlred before the box can be further or completely collapsed.

Fig. 4; is a perspective view showing the box of Fig. 1, as completely collapsed.

Fig. 5 is a top or plan view of the box, with one end section folded up, and with fractional portions of the slde sections broken away for purpose of illustrat on.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal detail sectional elevation, of the adjoining portions of two of the boxes, one stacked upon the other.

Fig. 7 is a detail perspective vlew of one of the reinforcing and pintle forming wire frames, two of which are employed in the box illustrated in Figs. 1-6, 1nclus1ve.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a modified form of the box shown in Figs. 1-7, with a fractional portion broken away for purpose of illustration.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 8, but showing the near end of the box broken away, and showing the bottom section as partly swung up preparatory to colla sing the box. l

ig. 10 is a sectional plan view of the box shown in Figs. 8-9.

Fig. 11 is 9. pers box, illustrated in collapsed.

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the two wire frames employed in the modified box, and illustrating their relative positions and arrangement in the box.

The box illustrated in Figs. 17, inclusive, comprises side sections A and B, end sections 0 and D, and a bottom section E. No cover section is shown, but it is obvious that a removable or hinged cover may be provided if so desired. The box sections are all formed of sheet metal panels, practically all of the edges of which are rolled into heads or moldings, and all of which are preferably ective view showing the igs. 8-10, as completely provided with integrally formed reinforcing ribs such as 13. Consequently, the panels may be made from relatively light sheet metal, yet they will be very rigid in construction, and will not bendor buckle under ordinary usage. It may here be noted that the bottom sect on E is provided at its ends I with downwardly punched, transversely extending beads or ribs 14 which are so arranged that they will fit within the upper ends of the end sections of a similar box, as shown in Fig. 6, and thus facilitate stacking of the boxes so that each one will retain its position with respect to the one under it.

The various box sections A-E are connected together by being secured to two rectangular wire frames F and G, one of which is shown in detail in Fig. 7. These frames assume spaced horizontal positions in the box and are identically constructed, each being formed from a single piece of relatively heavy wire the ends of which are referably welded together so as to add to t e rigidity thereof. 4 One of the longitudinal side bars of the frame. F is downwardly offset, as at 15, and the diagonally opposed slde bar of the frame G is offset upwardly as at 16.

The bottom section E of the box has its ends formed into tubular flanges 17 that are curved about and firmly grip the end bars of the frame G. At one edge this section is also provided with shorter and spaced flan es 18 that similarly grip one side rail of t e frame. At the opposite side, the section E has an upwardly struck or offset rim 19, which corresponds to the offsetting 16 of the frame G, and is there provided with gripping sections 20, similar to portions 18, for on aging the offset side bar of the frame The side sections A and B have spaced tubular flange portions 21, at their lower edges, for 'hlnge forming engagement with the side bars of the frame G, between the res ecting portions 18 and 20; and the upper, en s of these sections are provided with tubular flange portions 22 that pivotally 'engage the side bars of the frame F. The ends of the side sections A and B are provided with tubular reinforcing flanges or moldings 23.

The end sections C and D have tubular end flan es 24 that inclose and swing upon the end ars of the frame F, so that these sections may be swung to vertical and horizontal positions, as illustrated by Figs. 1-3. When in their vertical or operative positions, the lower ends of the end sections stop against the tubular members 17. Hand holes 25 are provided in the upper ends of these sections, for carrying the box, and are arranged immediately adjacent to the rolls 24 so that the hand may engage a rounding surface when lifting a filled box. These holes are formed by merely punching out back tongues of the metal, thereby leaving a comparatively smooth and rounded edge in each opening. The side edges of the end sections are provided with. tubular reinforcing rolls 26. The end sections are of a width which will permit the rolls 26 to snugly slip into position outside the side section rolls 23, but are sufficiently narrow so that they may swing between the side sections with ample clearance, as shown in Fi 5.

n collapsing the box the end sections, which normally brace the box in its upright osition, are folded up as shown in Fig. 3. he entire box may then be folded down, with side bars of the frames F and G acting as pivot centers, until it assumes the flat position shown in Fig. 4. The diagonally opposed offsets 15 and 16 in the frames F and G, and the corresponding flange offset 19 in the bottom section E, all permit of a proper folding whereby there will be ample clearance for the various flanges, rolls, etc., and

enable the respective sections to lie in a very clplsely nested relation with respect to eac 0 er.

The box illustrated in Fi s. 8 to 12, inclusive, resembles the above escribed box in many particulars, but differs, rimarily, in the method of connecting and folding the various sections. It may briefly be described,

as follows: 4

The supporting frames H and J of the box are disposed in vertical planes, as indicated in 'Fig. 12, and are provided with diagonally opposed end bars 27. The side sections K and L and the end sections M and N are all hin edly connected, at the corners of the box, y the vertical end bars of the frames H and J, so that the box may be folded, through a parallelogram, in plan, when it is to be colla sed, .just as the previously described box olds through a parallelogram, in cross-sectional elevation. The frames, bracing ribs, and reinforcing rolls and flanges of the various sections are also similar to those previously set forth, and the side sections K and L are rovided with offset end flanges 28, that ction, similar to the flange 19, and thus co-operate with the offset portions of the wire frames to effect a close nesting of the various sections when the box is to be collapsed.

The bottom section 0 of the box shown in Figs. 8-11, is hingedly connected to the lower bar of the frame H, as at 29, so that it will fold up against the side section K, while its swinging edge is arranged to drop down and rest upon the tubular flange support 30 of the side section L (see Figs. 9 and l0), while the end edges of the section 0 are curled under in reinforcing rolls 31.

It will thus .be seen that I have provided a box that is very rigid and stron when set up, but is also comparativelylig t and requires only a very small amount of space when collapsed and'not in use. It is understood that various modifications may be made in the general design and structural details of the invention as herein shown, provided, however, that said modifications come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Having now therefore fully shown and described my invention, A

what I claim to be new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A collapsible box comprising side, end, and bottom sections all of which are hingedly connected by a pair of rectangular frames, said frames being offset at diagon- 3. A collapsible box comprising a plurality of sheet metal sections connected by rectangular wire frames, at least one of Whichsections has an active bracing action on the other sections, when the box is set up but is swingable to an inactive position when the box is to be collapsed, said other sections being hingedly connected whereby they may be folded through a parallelogram to collapse the box, and said rectangular frames being provided, at diagonally opposed corners of the crate, with offsets, to effect clearances whereby the various sections may be collapsed to closely nested positions;

4. A collapsible box comprising a plurality of sheet metal sections hingedly conneeted by Wire frame members, to which said sections are secured by rolled integral flange portions, said frame members being angularly offset at two corners of the boxwhereby to provide clearance for various box elements when the box is collapsed, and at least one of which metal sections is provided, at one of said two corners of the box, with an angular flange to substantially correspond with the adjacent frame member offset.

5. A collapsible box comprising a series of sections, adjoining edges of which are hingedly connected by a pair of rectangular frames, the .bars of said frames being substantially inclosed and engaged by certain rolled edges of the sections, another section hingedly secured to one of the frames, at one of its edges, so as to be swingable upwardly Within the box, and adapted to rest With its opposite edge against one of said rolled edges to prevent outward movement of said swingable section.

6. A collapsible box comprising a pair of vertically spaced horizontal frames, side sections hingedly connecting vertically opposed bars of the frames, a bottom section connecting opposite bars of the lower frame, and inwardly swingable end sections pivotally mounted on end bars of the upper frame, said frames having ofl'set side bar portions at diagonally opposed corners of 4 the box.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signa- 

